The Story of Us
by Alyce-Cullen
Summary: AU Edward left Bella in New Moon and she changed. Once they come back, they realize things were far from what they thought. Bella turned into the rebellious teenager of her childhood and drinks all her problems away. Story better than summary. :D


**In memory of my Grandma Abba, you are the most amazing person I have ever known. I love you with all my heart and want nothing more in my life than to be just like you. I don't think you will ever know how much you mean to me and everybody else. Everyone that knew you always loved you and had a smile on their face when they saw you. I wish you could have been here longer, it all happened so fast, I woke up at 6:28 that morning and I have had this feeling for the last month that something bad was going to happen. It all seems so surreal. I can't believe you're gone. **

**I love you always, Abba. **

**Title:** The Story of Us

**Note:** In this story, Bella is 17.

_Remember when getting high meant swinging at the playground. The worst thing you could get from the opposite sex was cooties. Mom and dad were your heroes. Five dollars seemed like a million. Villains were always the people in black. Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over." Your worst enemies were your parents. The sun would always come out tomorrow. Race issues were who ran the fastest. War was a card game. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in Monopoly. Vampires were objects in horror stories. The only drug you knew of was cough medicine and wearing skirts didn't mean you were a slut. The only things you smoked were the tires of your bike. Hell was just a word your parents yelled when in a traffic jam. The only thing that hurt was skinned knees and the only things that could get broken were your toys. _

I remember the first sip that started, and stopped my mess of a life. Followed by the first gulp. Ending with a six pack hidden under my bed, again. I still don't know what had gotten into me to drink, there were so many other options, but when I had the strength to go down stairs I opened the fridge and they were sitting there, taunting me. The substance seemed to bring me back home, erase boring Bella and bring out the old me, Izzy. My throat had a dry ache for the substance that had once before been my pass-time. Renee was always the drinking type, and had alcohol stashed around the house. I took a drink first when I was eleven. My mom was sleeping off a hangover on the couch and an open bottle was resting on the coffee table across from her. All of my friends said they have had a drink or two before, but I was always the goody-goody type and listened to my police chief father. The liquid tasted horrible but it also tasted right. I got into drinking with my friends when I was around thirteen, and when I finally need a change, I moved to Forks to start over. This time was different though, I could feel all of my troubles washing away with each gulp of Vitamin R. I promised myself I would never drink after that first sip but I could feel my will power slipping away as I popped open the top of the beer and guzzled it down. Charlie was at work so I had no fear of getting caught. After I drowned the first beer, I grabbed the other five and made my way back upstairs. It had only been five days since he left. When I drank, the hole in my heart was hidden, covered by glass and liquor_._

"_Please state your name." _

"_Izzy." I grumbled and stared out the window into the rain._

"_Hi, Izzy." Everyone responded in their usual hatred of this weekly meeting voice._

_They could not force you to say you have an addiction. They all assume you do, but in reality it is not a want but a need. A need to escape the pain and everyday life. Of course I have problems, who doesn't? I don't have an addiction. I have a lifeline, or a friend that is always there to help me through those hardships. _The weekly meetings from my struggle in Phoenix slammed into me, every time I swallowed the drink in my hand._ Charlie wanted me to have a fresh start. _He had no idea what he was in for once I had to stop the pain, again.

I tried to start over in Forks, changing everything about me, but the truth always comes out.

The specific night could have happened just yesterday, the night when everything came tumbling down over me.

After him and his family left, my life started slowly spiraling down hill. Slowly at first then getting faster and faster with each drained bottle. My once friends at school excluded me from everything, I started hanging out with a new group of people. In my father's words, the 'trouble makers'. I didn't care. They treated me as one of them and understood some of my problems. The drinking increased with every party. Every few parties the cops would come and send us home, never sending us to jail. The specific night that is the cause for me being here now took place at the Cullens'. It took place about a year after they left. Any other place would be too close to neighbors and we would be busted. I suggested the idea, having high hopes of my friends trashing their house like the others'. Jordan, my current boyfriend, and I went to their house a few days before the party to check it out. They had a few bottles of wine, vodka, rum, and brandy in a cabinet, most likely put away for formal gatherings.

The night of the party, some boys from the reservation brought a keg and we were each handed a cup and started to party. The beer tasted different, like someone did something to it, spiked it or whatnot. I had no idea, or reason to believe they did. I had a shot or two of brandy and by the time Jordan and I went off on our own, my hands were trembling around the fancy glass cup in my hand. Jordan and I went up to Alice's room bringing the bottle of Vodka with us. Jordan wanted to go at it and, it not being our first time, I didn't care.

I passed out after that and woke up to Charlie and the rest of the police force clearing the place out. Parents were being called and alcohol was being flushed. Charlie pushed me toward his cruiser and I staggered my way there.

On the way home he glared at me through the rearview mirror. My head was rested against the cool glass and I tried my best not to get sick. A black Mercedes was parked in my spot on the driveway. I knew that car anywhere, sobered or not. Charlie opened the backdoor for me and I stumbled up the stairs to the front door.

I opened it to reveal Alice, Carlisle and Esme sitting on the couch and love seat. They had concerned and worried looks in their eyes. "Shit." I cursed when I saw them. "Go burn hell." I slurred as I made my way up the stairs to the bathroom, only tripping once. A record for me even when I am not drunk. I hugged the toilet as my night activities were in front of me once more. I was about to go to bed when I heard the last person I wanted to hear say the words I dreaded most at the moment.

"Isabella, get down here right now. I don't care if you are drunk or stoned, you will be going to school tomorrow and you will come down here right this second." Charlie yelled.

I covered my ears and slowly made my way down the stairs. My headache was starting, and with every step I took it felt as if a hammer was being wedged between my eyes with slow pounding motions. I groaned as I sat in Charlie's recliner. Alice smiled at me from her seat next to Esme. I glared daggers at her with all the strength I could muster.

"Bella," Alice started to say.

I cut her off. "Izzy," I snapped.

"Don't be rude Isabella." Charlie spoke sternly. "If she didn't tell Esme and Carlisle about that email, you sent her, you could have been dead by now."

"First of all, I didn't send her a damn email." I slurred my words together, but they got the point. "Second, Jordan would take care of me."

"Jordan was there?" Charlie demanded.

"Ass ditched." I grumbled then turned my attention back to the group. "Third . . . It would not be Alice's or anyone else's problem but my own if I got killed."My words came out in a big jumble.

"You are lucky they did not decide to press charges against you for trashing their house." Charlie glared at me. "You might be a little kinder toward them."

"I'd like to see them try." I smirked and crossed my arms.

Charlie was fuming and the vein on his forehead was throbbing.

"We love you Bella." Esme said kindly. Carlisle had his arm around her and she was shaking from the sobs racking her body.

"Bella is gone." I hissed and got up. Charlie pushed me back down into the chair. I held my collar as it throbbed slightly from where his hand made contact. The Cullens' eyes darted to wear my hand was very briefly then refocused on my face. A bruise would be there tomorrow for sure.

"You aren't going anywhere." He insisted.

I rolled my eyes as I tried to get up again. "I see why you would care," I motioned to Charlie. "But why do they give a crap?" I gestured to the three present Cullens.

"You are like family to us . . . Izzy." Carlisle said.

"You are my best friend." Alice frowned.

"You have a poor way of showing it."I said as rudely as I could muster. "You don't leave family." Charlie didn't feel like fighting me anymore so when I got up again he obliged and let me pass.

I went to the kitchen, hoping to find a beer in the fridge to drown. Luck was not on my side as Alice followed me into the kitchen.

"What are you doing in there?" Charlie asked from the living room.

"Getting Tylenol and water to wash it down with." I lied smoothly.

"Bella, can't you see what this is doing to you?" Alice asked quietly.

The beer was still in my hands as I quickly popped the cap and drank it in one gulp. I smirked and stood my ground.

She stared at me, shock written all over her features.

"Go ahead. Go out there and be the tattle tail I know you are. It's not like our friendship is at stake. You ruined that one on your own." I told her.

"Carlisle and Esme already know." She said, unfazed by my remark.

"They can't do anything. Didn't you see that coming after me would only make things worse?" I said stubbornly.

"What happened to you?" She asked as she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Life happened." I hissed. I tried to shove her hand off of me but I missed and staggered into the kitchen counter. Alice tried to help me get back on my feet. "Leave me alone." I slurred. I somehow made my way to the stairs and into my bedroom. "And don't ever come back." I added, knowing they could hear.

My phone was left on my bed when I hurried to leave for the party and there were a few recent messages from Jordan. I was surprised when I noticed the other missed alerts from Alice. I dialed him back and he answered on the first ring.

"Are you okay? What happened?" He rushed out.

"I'm fine . . . You know the Cullens?" I assumed after a pause.

"The peoples' house we trashed?" He replied.

"Yeah. Them." I smirked. "Well they came back and were at my house when I got here. That's the main gist, I'll tell you the rest in the morning, I have a major migraine." I told him.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay and that Charlie didn't do anything to you."

"Too many witnesses." I laughed. "Mister police chief can't have that."

"I hope you feel better. Love you."

"You too," I assured him with a slur which he chuckled at, and hung up the phone.

My head was pounding by the time it hit the pillow, and my stomach was doing flips. I just wanted tonight to be over with. I want the Cullens out of my life again. I am none of their business anymore.

The next morning, it was storming out. I didn't dare eat anything except for a few Tylenol. Jordan was supposed to come pick me up for school on the count of Charlie taking my truck away. Luck is never on my side and this is an example of that, Alice was sitting on the couch, smiling and trying to start a pleasant conversation.

"I don't want to talk to you."I kept grumbling.

"Charlie wanted to make sure you got to school safely. I, of course, wanted this too and volunteered to bring my best friend."She chirped as we walked out of the house toward her car. A yellow Porsche was parked in Charlie's driveway.

"No way."

"Way," she had the biggest smile on her face, from ear to ear.

"Are you back for good now, or what?" I asked quietly.

"I know you don't want us here, so I won't say until you want us to leave." She looked straight at me as she spoke in a soft voice. "I really have no idea. We ended on the wrong foot after your birthday, to put it lightly, and I understand that you loathe me right now . . . Do you think we could start over, turn a new leaf, and try to be friends again? I would and do get if you don't want to, but I missed you so much . . . "

I leaned my head against the window, and closed my eyes. "I don't know right now, Alice. My head is pounding and my stomach hasn't reached us yet. All of this while you are giving an emotional speech about the friendship _you_ ended. I don't know any more." I told her truthfully. "I really don't care either. You put me through hell when you left and you all come back like nothing has happened."

"I understand." She said. Alice got a far off look in her eyes as she pulled into the school parking lot. "Charlie talked to Carlisle and Esme, and it seems like you are coming to help us clean up the mess you made yesterday."

"It's already cleaned up, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah, but everyone wants to talk to you."

"With no witnesses . . . Sounds like fun." I said sarcastically.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" She questioned as she locked the doors.

"I would rather walk." I said as I started walking away.

"In the rain, I don't think so." She was gaining animatedly on me as I walked away. "You have no car, and you have to come over after school."

"Why did you ask?" I looked up at the sky and threw my hands in the air. "What did I do that was this deserving. Couldn't you just send me to Hell?"

"Quite the one for dramatics, aren't we Izzy?" Jordan spoke as he came over and kissed my cheek. He pushed my chin length black hair behind one ear. "I missed you this morning." He smiled. His blue eyes sparkled and were lacking any seriousness. His disheveled light brown hair looked the same as the last time we saw each other.

"You shouldn't have left, and you could have seen me." I spat the words at him.

He knew one of our fights were coming, so he changed the subject. "Who is this beautiful lady behind you?" He motioned toward Alice.

"Cullen. Alice Cullen." I answered.

"Oh . . . " Jordan visibly stiffened at the words I spoke and looked away from her. He didn't want to bring anything up, so he took a new turn in conversations. "What was the reason for why I was told not to pick you up this morning?" I his school football jersey as he spoke.

"Let me guess, Charlie called you?" I stated.

"Actually my mom just told me and Lizzie to go straight to school because you already had a ride," He looked at me warily.

I stared at the ground as I replied, "Charlie had that scary calm facade on last night. He must have called your mom and said something."

"That must be why she looked so disappointed this morning. I thought you dumped me after I left." He smiled.

"I ended up getting I more trouble after you _left_. All you do in my life is cause shit. Go to hell!" I yelled at him, not caring who heard.

"I'm with you aren't I?" His tone was just as loud as mine.

"You know what, Jordan? Shut up, just shut the hell up! I don't ever want to see your sorry face again. All you do is cause me trouble! You are a stupid jackass." I screeched.

"You know what, Izzy? You're a pain in my ass. All you ever do is whine and complain for the stupidest reasons. You are the stupidest and most obsessive girl I have ever met."

"I hate you!" I said acidly.

"Yeah, well that makes two of us." He said just as cold.

I pivoted on my heel and walked in the direction of my first class, the only one of my classes that didn't have him in it.

"What was that about?" Alice asked as we walked.

My locker was on our way, so I stopped and got my books out of it, slamming the door shut after I saw a picture of Jordan and I there.

"Nothing." I hissed.

The warning bell rang as I spoke and we started moving toward our class again. Alice took Edward's schedule and ended up being in most all of my classes, lucky me.

Lunch came and went by slowly. I refused to eat, much to Alice's discomfort, and I sat, talking to my new friends, 'The screw ups' as Lauren's crew put them. Alice stayed next to me the whole lunch period, ignoring my friends, and being ignored by them too, but for a whole other reason. They all know the overall/ sugarcoated story of what happened, and hated the Cullens with a passion as well. Alice tried to start up conversations with me, I payed her the cold shoulder and didn't give her the time of day.

I didn't eat lunch. Every time she brought it up, though, I reminded her that she wasn't eating either. My friends weren't oblivious to our exchanges, but they knew from experience not to push me over the edge, and to just let me get my rants and raves out of my system.

"What Alice?" I asked to her shocked face. "I never knew this would happen to Bella." I dramatically said in my bad impersonation of Alice while throwing my hand on my forehead. "She was a good kid, and my best friend."

Alice just sat there, taking it, much to my annoyance. "Bella sit down." Alice replied. "You are causing a scene."

Alice stood up, too, ignoring the stares and trying to get me to shut up.

"You never guessed this would happen, now did you? The great all seeing Alice didn't even see this outcome as a possibility."

"Bella this won't end well, shut up and sit down." All traces of humor gone from her face, for a second she even looked like a vampire before she composed herself.

"Fight! Fight!" Rachel and Chrissy started chanting jokingly, causing the cafeteria to turn in our direction.

I smirked and started walking away. Jordan didn't follow me, which was weird. I looked up and saw our Principal standing there. He grabbed my arm and gestured for Alice to follow. Alice skipped over to us with an 'I told you so' look on her face. The walk to the office was short. Mr. Greene swung the office door open and brought us through.

"Nice to see you again, Izzy." Ms. Cope smiled.

I smiled and nodded politely. "You too."

Principal Greene's office was small, with two plastic chairs in front of his desk, a bookcase, and his chair. He sat each of us down in an old grey chair.

"What happened Isabella?" He asked me. My breath came out in a hiss, causing Alice to glance at me from the corner of her eyes, as he called me by my full first name, he knew I hated being called that.

"I was just having a conversation with Alice." I told him, truthfully for once.

"I was called down there after some fellow students came down here because they were afraid a fight would break out between you too." He spoke with a tone of authority.

"I wish it came to a fight." I mumbled inn a volume that I thought was under my breathe, but everyone heard.

"Your parents are being called at this very moment."He added.

"_This_ very moment. Are you sure?" I knew I was in trouble anyways, so why not have fun with it.

"Isabella," He started but was interrupted with the opening of his office door.

Ms. Cope came through the door after knocking lightly. "Mr. Greene, may I speak with you for a minute." She said quietly and urgently.

When they both left the room, Alice informed me what the meeting was all about. "You are coming home with Carlisle, Esme and me. Charlie has something important going on at work, and Carlisle offered to take you home, too."

"I guess it could be worse." I shrugged back into my seat as Mr. Principal walked in.

"What happened, in your words, Alice?" He questioned her.

"The same thing _Bella_ said. We were having a conversation." She looked at him straight in the eyes as she told him this. He believed her over me, that much was obvious. She had perfect grades, she _did_ anyway, and was the daughter of the town's best doctor. I was the screwed up daughter of a police chief who came into this office once a week for something or other.

Carlisle and Esme walked through the door held open by Ms. Cope. Alice and I were brought out of the room and Carlisle and Esme took our seats to talk to the principal. There were a few chairs in the hall, across from the main desk, where we were sat.

Alice and I were to return to school in two days, not that I really planned on it.

Alice was shooed to her Porsche and I was told to sit in the backseat of Carlisle's Mercedes. Carlisle and Esme silently got in the front. By the time the doors were closed, Carlisle took off toward their house. Through the ride I looked out the windshield that is until Esme would glance back at me and I would divert my gaze. A pain came to my chest as we twisted and turned through the serpent like pathway to their house. I didn't make a sound as the night of my birthday came back with fierce clarity at the sight of the white mansion. I put my hard facade back up, which only lapsed for a second, by the time Esme looked back to make sure I was okay.

I moved my hand to open the door, which would not budge._ Child locks _came to my mind as Carlisle opened the door for me.

"You didn't trust me, did you?" I looked up at him as I got out of the car. From an outsider, it probably looked like I was looking at him with disbelief, while in reality I just wanted a response out of him. Carlisle grabbed my arm as I tripped, while walking away.

"Are you okay?" He asked, avoiding my previous question.

"All things considered, I feel like I'm on cloud nine." I replied sarcastically as I started walking. I have no idea where I am planning on walking to, though. Just walking into their house felt wrong, with them behind me that is. If anything, right now would be a perfect time for a drink. I can't take a run for it, and I have no car, so I am pretty much screwed.

The porch steps got closer with each one of my drawn out steps. Carlisle held the door open, kissing Esme as she walked through. I walked past him, as far away from touching him as possible to still be able to enter through the door. I faintly heard the garage open and close as Carlisle shut the front door.

A pair of big, cold arms wrapped around my waist and picked me up from behind. "Hey, little sis." I could hear the smile in Emmett's voice as he spoke.

"Put me down." I said calmly. "I'm not your little sister."

When my feet gently hit the floor, he replied. "You'll always be my little sis." He said.

"Was I your little sis when you left?"I asked him as I took a cautious step back.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

I ignored his question, voicing my own. "You brought me here, against my will I might add, to talk. What is so important that you have to talk to me about?" I looked at the faces in the room. Edward was not there, but Rosalie was and she looked like she wanted to slap me. I raised my eyebrows at her and she took a step closer, that is, until Emmett put his arms around her. The smirk on my face toward her resulted in a low growl escaping her throat.

Esme's hand landed softly on my shoulder as everyone seemed to migrate toward the couches. I flinched away from her touch and sat down on the loveseat by myself, opposite from Esme and Carlisle.

I felt small and insignificant surrounded by them, but I stood tall. As tall as my five-foot four frame could stand while sitting down. Their gazes were all trained on me and I had the urge to hide my face. I could feel a faint blush coming onto my cheeks, a feeling I haven't felt in so long. The blush didn't last long since when I looked up and faced them eye to eye they all looked a separate way.

"What questions did you plan to bombard me with?" I asked after a minute of silence sliced between us.

"What happened to you? You are being bitch now, and we didn't do anything to you." Rosalie replied. Everyone glared at her after she spoke.

"You're right. You did absolutely nothing for me. Even if your house is a _great_ party house."I told her with a smirk upon my face.

"We never knew what would happen. Edward told us to leave, a clean break and never come back. 'Don't look into her future either, Alice. We've done enough damage.'"Alice imitated his voice perfectly. I flinched slightly when she said this.

"You didn't expect this?" I stared at them in disbelief. "And since when the hell do you listen to Edward?"

"We owed it to him. He always did what we wanted without a word of resistance. It was his turn." Jasper said quietly. That second was the first time I had acknowledged his presence since I had been let in.

A silence passed through the room. I could hear my heart beat in my ears as my anger grew.

"You have no idea what I have had to go through in my life. For once I was finally happy, you tore that to pieces and I was just putting myself back together . . . I didn't have a picture perfect childhood like most of you. _Rosalie_," I coughed her name. " Renee would come home either drunk or high every night. I was one of the children in the world that needed to be put up for adoption, or moved to my dad's at the very least. Not that I would want to live with my dad, with his random outbursts of parenting and discipline . . . You probably all thought I was a failure, or it was just a way I, being a screwed up teenager dealt with my problems. You have no idea! . . . It isn't an excuse, and I am not defending myself. . . Maybe I am . . . You just don't have the slightest clue. I was happy and normal for once and you took that from me. I had no reason to try anymore." I brought my head down to my hands that were resting across my legs. My fingers combed through my short black hair. The thoughts in my mind flew back to the few genuine good times in my life. Hearing Edward's voice in the Ballet studio, feeling accepted by the Cullens, the day Jordan told me he loved me and would never leave me, and leaving everything behind for that one drink in Charlie's fridge.

The door from the garage to the main house opened and closed with a bang. I could hear the dent the door made in the wall as it ricochet back toward him. I knew who it was, even before he spoke. I got up and made my way past his seething form. "It isn't like I wanted them back or anything, but by all means take your anger out on them." I said to Edward without my voice cracking as I walked through the door behind him.

The garage was open and I kept walking, almost breaking into a jog. I cut through the woods, and rain was slowly starting to fall, effectively matting my hair to my neck. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket, dropping it in my haste to get it out quickly. It was covered in mud by the time I made it to where it landed. I wiped it off on my jeans and dialed Jordan's familiar number.

"Answer the phone." I kept whispering as I broke through the trees and found the road. Walking away from the Cullen house and toward town, I waited for him to pick up and pulled my hood up. I glanced behind me as I spoke, all the while keeping my steady pace down the road. I knew that even if they were following me, I wouldn't be able to see them, and the second I heard Jordan's voice through the phone I tripped and fell.

"Hello?" He answered gruffly.

"Hey Jordan, it's Izzy." I sighed in relief at the sound of his voice.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" The rush of questions out of his mouth brought me back to reality. I was standing outside on a road, in the now drizzling rain.

"Listen, I left the Cullens' house and started walking toward town, I need you to come and pick me up." I told him.

"Of course. Where are you, again?" He asked as I heard him rummaging through the crap storm which is his bedroom, in a haste to find his keys.

"On the main road from the Cullen house to town. You will know I'm near if any of them drive up because I will scream like there is no tomorrow." I said with a slight smile playing on my lips. "I need you." I whispered to him.

"I'm on my way." He informed me as we said goodbye and hung up the phones. "Listen. I'll admit I was wrong on the most part, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," I mumbled, never once admitting I was wrong.

For a few minutes, standing in the rain, I felt as if I was being watched. I let the strange feeling fall and focused on the sound of a car engine.

Not ten minutes later, Jordan's Eclipse was driving up next to me. He got out and hugged me, taking off his jacket to wrap around me. He held the door open for me and I sat down on the leather seats. Jordan turned the heater on as he closed his door, and soon we were on the road. Charlie's house came up all too quickly and I had to give him one last kiss goodbye.

"If you need to talk, I'm only one phone call away." He said as he kissed my head. "I love you." He told me as I unbuckled my seatbelt and started to get out of his warm car.

"Love you, too, most of the time, anyways." I replied with a smirk and waved goodbye.

I was ready to dash as I carefully opened my front door, I had told Jordan to wait until I had made sure I was at home alone until he left. I checked out the down stairs and went to the living room window to wave goodbye.

I slowly made my way upstairs to get out of my wet clothes. I placed Jordan's jacket on the back of my desk chair and found a pair of sweats Jordan had gotten me when we went shopping last. The shower warmed my cold bones and caused shivers to cascade down my spine. The shower was short considering the hot water turned cold, so I got out and quickly wrapped a towel around me. I pulled on my sweats and a T-shirt Jordan left here during one of the times he snuck over and spent the night.

Making my way downstairs again, I put some pasta on the stove for Charlie. He came home about twenty minutes later. He plopped down on the kitchen chair, getting ready to be a parent.

I took the spoon from the sauce and pointed at him as he opened his mouth to speak. "Don't start. I am not in the mood." I hissed and roughly placed a plate in front of him.

"Bells," He started.

"You have _no_ idea what I went through today."I turned my back on him and went to the fridge.

He raised his eyebrows but didn't say a word. His jaw was set and his back straight in his chair.

"Don't look at me like that. You threw me under the bus by forcing me home with the Cullens." I told him as I took another big gulp of a beer. _"You _owe me."

He slowly stood up, judging my movements with piercing, brown eyes. "Go." He said calmly, pointing to the stairs. His hand twitched as if he were going to slap me as I stood in front of him.

"Fine, Chief." I replied sarcastically while saluting him and walking away. Once in my room, I slammed my door and yelled a few profanities in his direction.

Turning around I saw a figure sitting in my rocking chair. I took my time turning on the lights, expecting it to be Alice. Edward sat on the chair, staring out the window into the dark, cloud-covered, night sky. I didn't scream, though that would probably scare the crap out of Charlie, I expected the upcoming events fore they have reoccurred through my time in Forks.

I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts and getting ready to kick him out.

"Listen to me first." He started.

"I don't have to do anything you tell me." I contradicted, getting ready to get help.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. I would have followed you, but I was too busy arguing with Alice about the whole ordeal. You were pretty upset when you left." He told me as he stood up and faced me.

"I wasn't upset." I told him. Defending, and surprising, myself by telling him the truth.

"You were never a good liar, Bella." He smiled his crooked smile that made me come back into reality. "Or actresses in this case."

"You have no idea." I said. "None."

"Do you want to talk?" He asked.

"Of all the people you are at the bottom of my list of people to talk to. Alice might even be in front of you, actually now that I think about it you are pretty far in front of her. I know my mom is up there quite high, but I am not so sure about Charlie." My train of thought wandered. "I have a boyfriend, you know. If I needed to talk to _anybody_, it _would_ be him."

"Are you sure?" He questioned, not breaking my gaze.

"I'm taking it that you didn't hear my conversation with the rest of _your_ family. Go home. Leave." I ended the conversation, pointing to the open window. He stood there awkwardly for a minute then in the next second, he was gone. I slammed my window after him, locking it in the same movement. The slam caused Charlie to come up the stairs and yell at me to go to bed.

"Go to bed, Isabella!" He yelled from the top of the stairs.

"Go to hell, Charlie!" I yelled back.

Once alone in my room, I fell asleep quickly. The nightmares I haven't seen with great force in months came back in full fledged. Images of the summer before they left swirled in my mind. They collided and opened to flashbacks from the night he left me. I yelled after him as he walked away, but he refused to turn back.

I woke up screaming, Charlie standing by me awkwardly trying to wake me up. Tears were streaming down my face and I was lightly shaking. After he thought I was okay, he went back to bed, snoring in less than five minutes. I tossed and turned, not really wanting to face sleep again and ended up getting up a few minutes later.

I got in a steaming hot shower, letting the water relax me.

_I wish there was a way I could just leave, run away and never come back._ _There isn't anything or anybody here worth it anyway. Jordan would come with me. I am sure of that. He is actually the person that helped me get over Edward. He wasn't always one of the 'bad' kids, just one of the responsible ones that hangs out with them. One of the kids your parents tell you not to play with when you are little either way. He never wanted me to dive back into drinking. He wanted me to find another, not harmful way to deal with my many issues. We were more than friends back in Phoenix, and when his dad got a job in Port Angeles, he begged his parents to move to Forks, so we could be close again. He started drinking about a month after I started again. He stayed with me, making sure I was safe while refusing any drinks offered his way. I never actually drove home drunk, much to what would be Charlie's pleasure, if I ever felt the need to tell him. I finally convinced him one night while we were alone to try something, and now he is right there getting drunk for the hell of it. _My thoughts wove through the recent events as the shampoo and conditioner washed out of my hair.

I grabbed a white towel to wrap around me as I stepped out of the shower. My comb ripped through my hair, pulling out a hand full of hair, due to my small meals. I dressed in my low-cut, white V neck top Jordan's younger sister, Elizabeth gave to me. You could see my ribs through my thin shirt, but it didn't make me feel self conscious like it use to. The first pair of jeans that came out of my closet, I put on, and a similar story occurred with my shoes and jacket.

For a car or a way to leave, my mind went blank. Charlie took away my truck, parking it at his work, and the police cruiser was a too obvious a car to steal. I decided to walk. I closed the front door quietly as to not alert Charlie and started walking toward Jordan's house.

The sun was just starting to rise as I made it to Jordan's street. The sky was an overcast, not raining, but humid. Jordan was at his window, hair tousled from sleep, perpendicular to the road which I was on. His father kissed his mother goodbye at the door and she waved from the kitchen window as he pulled away. He took off driving in the opposite direction from where I was standing, and I started walking toward their house again. Jordan saw me and left the window. By the time I reached their yard, Jordan was holding the front door open for me. He held his arms open for me and I rested my head on his chest while we wrapped our arms around each other. Jordan is at least a foot taller than me, and not to mention buffer.

His mom, Amy, gave me a hug as we walked in and motioned to the homemade pancakes on the stove. I smiled kindly at her and sat down next to Lizzie.

Lizzie is two years younger than Jordan and me. She wore a similar shirt to mine, but in lilac. Her light brown hair in a braid down her back.

Amy placed a plate in front of me. "Eat up sweetie, you are getting too tiny." Lizzie is about an inch or two taller than I and not nearly as skinny. According to Lauren, I am 'anorexic skinny because I want to be good enough for Edward.'

Amy also set a plate for Jordan. After about five minutes, she yelled for him. She made her way to the stairs and yelled up. "Jordan, get down here. Your breakfast is getting cold." A few minutes later he came running down the stairs, dressed, and kissed her on the cheek, then proceeding to slide onto the chair next to me.

"Jordan told me something happened at school with you and another student yesterday. What happened?" Amy asked me. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It isn't my business."

Amy thought I was a good kid, not a screw up, I think she put it as 'stronger than most'.

"No. It's fine. Alice Cullen, my ex's sister and old best friend, came back and expected everything to go back the way it was before they left. We got in a disagreement and the principal came." I shrugged it off.

"He hates you." Lizzie muttered.

"I'm taking the side he likes her so much he stalks her around, finding ways to lure her into his office." Jordan laughed.

I smashed my lips in a line trying not to smile but act serious. "You have thought about this way too much, Jordan."

Amy looked at the clock on the wall a few minutes later. "You kids should probably get going." She said as she took our empty plates.

She gave Lizzie a hug as she shooed us out the door. I kissed her cheek and she gave me a hug as Jordan followed. Lizzie got in the backseat as Jordan held my door open. It wasn't raining, only overcast, so we didn't rush. "Will you drop me off at my house?" I asked as he closed his door.

"You were suspended?" He asked.

"For two days." I shrugged.

"I'll drop you off." He smiled as he took my hand.

I stood on my front porch and waved goodbye to them as they pulled away. Charlie was already at work so I would have the house to myself. I unlocked the door and swung it closed behind me while making my way to the couch. Plopping down I grabbed the remote and turned it on. "Well this is boring," I grumbled after flipping through all the channels deciding on an infomercial.

"It doesn't have to be." A chirpy voice said from next to me.

"What the _hell_, Alice?" I yelled and threw the remote at her.

"Now was that really necessary?" She asked as she handed me back the remote. "All that would do would get you in more trouble from Charlie."

"This is _your_ fault. Go. Home." I threw my hands up and pushed my hair out of my eyes.

"We need to talk." She said seriously.

"I don't want to talk." I told her.

"We _need _too." Alice insisted. **(A/N: Alice knows Bella won't listen until she agrees)**

I rolled my eyes. Outside I could hear the mailman driving down the road and opening our mailbox. "And I can't always get what I want. I've heard it all before, and I don't care. I don't need to talk."

"Then listen." She said quietly.

I got up and opened the door, walking to the mailbox and stumbling once upon the way. The mail box was full most of it bills for Charlie, except for a small letter at the bottom of the pile addressed to 'Isabella Swan' from a 'Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation clinic, Renee Dwyer'. The sky was loosing light by the second and I could faintly feel raindrops on my bare arms, as I made my way inside. Once the door was locked, I made my way to the kitchen to see what the letter was about. I dropped Charlie's mail onto the middle of the round table and sat in my chair. I almost got a paper cut in my haste to open the letter from Renee. It wasn't very long, and I have a feeling she didn't want to write it.

_Bella,_

_I hope you will forgive me for all the things I have put you through. I am writing this, along with a few other, letter to apologize and for the program in hope of overcoming my addiction. _

_I miss you and hope you will come and visit me sometime. I am still in Phoenix for this program. _

_Phil and I got arrested with a DUI after we went out drinking, even if that not be all we did, and this not being our first time getting caught we had to go to court. I got put in rehab for ninety days and Phil is in jail. It is really hard, and I need your support. _

_Tell Charlie I said hi._

_I love you. Mom._

Before I even finished the letter, I decided not to go. She yet again only cares about herself and I don't want to have to relive my childhood.

Those months when Renee would be in rehab, or in jail, depending on the situation, her parents would come take care of me. They are the only reason I grew up as normal as I have. They are the ones who would buy me presents during holidays, hold me when I woke up from a nightmare, and overall be there when my mom wasn't. They are the ones who raised me, besides myself. They were my parental figures. My dad was across the US, and my mom was a drunk and drug addict.

I never, and still don't, understand why I was never sent to live with my father, except for the fact that he didn't want me. My mom was obviously incompinent of caring for me.

I could feel Alice come up behind me during my internal rant. She lightly placed her hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay Bella?"

The paper was still secure in my hands as we both stood in the kitchen. The paper ripped in pieces before I knew what I was doing. I threw the wadded up scraps into the trash can, along with the crumbled envelope and went back into the living room.

"Bella," Alice said softly as she followed me inside.

I blew out the air in my lungs slowly, regaining my composure before turning to face her. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked nicely.

"Will you come to our house? Everyone wants to talk to you."She spoke in a soft voice.

"Alice." I whined as I clamped my eyes shut. "I don't want to talk to them. We tried this yesterday and all it did was make more problems arise."

I opened my eyes to see hers closed and a distant look on her face. "I can see your decision changing." She said with a smile as her gaze focused on me.

A silence spread between us as I sat on the couch.

"I've missed you." The way the words that came out of Alice's mouth sounded nothing like her. I always remembered Alice as happy and joyful, full of optimism. Even after the disastrous birthday, the last time we saw each other Alice had hoped things would work out. When she spoke to me now, it was like she had lost hope.

"I've missed you, too." When I spoke, it was quiet. Alice sat down next to me and we faced each other. I crossed my arms and pinched the inside of my elbow with my right hand, trying to keep myself together, and not breakdown. We were quiet for a minute. "I've missed you, but there is no way for me to go through all that pain again. You are the reason we missed each other. I can't trust you. I don't trust anyone in your family. I have moved on, whether you like it or not." By the time I finished my defense my voice was hard and cold.

"What you're _doing _with your life is not getting 'over it'." She hissed.

"_That_ is none of your concern." I said with a smirk as my phone started ringing.

I glanced at the clock set on noon as I put my phone to my ear. "I_zz_y." Rachel's voice sang into the phone.

"What Rach?" I asked.

"I heard what _happened. Jordan _and_ Lizzie _told me. Why didn't _you _call me?" She whined.

"I really don't care to relive any part of my life in the last week." I told her. Alice had a far off look on her face.

"Come meet everyone at La Push, we can finish that homework project thingy." She laughed as she gave me the first excuse she could think of. As she spoke, I could faintly hear Jake, and Ryan fighting in the background. "Jordan can't come because his dad grounded him or something from the party."

The faint smile on my face turned into a frown. "Can you send someone to pick me up?" I questioned.

"Yeah, Chrissy and Ian are already on their way."

"Great." The smile on my face returned as a scowl formed on Alice's.

"Will you guys _shut the hell up?"_ I could hear Rachel yell away from the phone because her voice was muffled. "I can't hear Izzy."

"Bye, Rach." I told her and her reply was the same.

By the time I ran to the kitchen and scribbled a note for Charlie ( telling him I am going to hang out with Jacob), the first time I have thought of informing him of my whereabouts in months. I heard two loud continous knocks on the door.

"It's raining outside, hurry up Iz." Chrissy whined.

"It's Forks. It's always raining." I rolled my eyes as I opened the door for them then ran upstairs to get my cell and purse. "Chrissy and Ian, that's Alice." I yelled as I ran up the stairs.

Chrissy started talking to Alice and Ian kept trying to make her stop. Ian has been like a big brother to me and doesn't want anyone hurt like I was. I made it down the stairs without tripping and Ian clapped for me.

"That has to be a first, Izzy." He chuckled.

"Bella, don't go. I _can't_ see you." Alice grabbed my arm and told me as Chrissy and Ian started walking out the door.

"Good, then you'll leave me alone." I smiled and told her to lock the door on her way out.

She whispered something as I closed the door behind me but it was to faint for me to hear.

Jacob and Ryan were fighting when we arrived and didn't stop until this older guy, Sam, came to break up the fight. Jacob grew since the last time I saw him and was now almost seven feet. I don't remember much of what happened after my first few drinks, but it felt like something did.

I woke up in the hospital with a tube down my throat and a bright light blinding my eyes. A doctor's voice was nearby but I couldn't pinpoint the location. My stomach convulsed and I could feel someone rushing the tube out of my throat. The beeping in my ears sped up as I convulsed again.

"Breathe Bella." Someone close by yelled which made me jump and my heart beat spike. A cold hand grabbed my arm securely and injected something into the Iv on my arm resulting in my heartbeat returning to normal. My back flew down to the bed, causing me to moan in pain. My eyes opened slowly to reveal seven pairs of eyes. Jacob stayed in a chair far away in the corner with his head resting on his hand and eyes trained on the Cullens' every move. Edward and Alice stayed near the door, close but at a safe distance with their eyes black. Carlisle was checking my monitors while Esme was talking softly with Charlie. I rolled my eyes the first chance I made eye contact with Carlisle.

"What happened last night, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

My throat hurt, and my voice was scratchy when I tried to answer. "I can't remember." I told them truthfully.

"She must have had a blackout" Carlisle muttered as he looked at my eyes through some small black, lighted magnifying glass.

"She blacked out after a bottle of whiskey." Jake answered as he rubbed his eyes and shook out his hair.

"Ugh." I grumbled and tried to close my eyes from the light.

"Bella, please keep your eyes open." Carlisle said softly. "I need to check if they are dilated."

"No." I threw my un-IVD arm over my eyes.

"Isabella! Listen to Dr. Cullen." Charlie said in his loud police voice.

"Go to Hell." I slurred under my arm.

"Now you listen you little," Charlie started to respond but Carlisle intervened.

"Esme, can you?" He didn't have to finish his sentence for Esme to know what to do. Esme came over and gently lifted my arm off my face, holding it in what probably looked like a soft grip, but actually a tight grip I couldn't escape.

Jacob took this chance to leave with Charlie. "Whether you want to believe it or not, besides me, you are one of Izzy's favorite people in this room right now."

I cut Jake off as he spoke, "least favorite."

Jake shot me a look, otherwise ignoring my comment and continuing with his sentence.. "Just go. I know she will get more out of this, being stuck in here with those _people_, punishment wise."

Charlie nodded after a minute and went out the door, and down the hall.

"You _do _realize what you did to her?" He was right up in Edward's face with an expression mainly overtaken by rage. His eyes were squinted as he stared at him.

"Stop." Edward snarled.

I knew what had happened, even in my semi conscious state, Jake showed him everything. From both of their pained expressions, Jake had showed him my most vulnerable times from when they found me in the woods till I started drinking and forgetting.

Jake looked as if he added to the memories as Edward snarled and punched him.

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Please stop." My voice turned to a whisper as Emmett pulled Edward off of Jacob.

Jacob turned on his heel after he shot me one last look and he made his way after Charlie.

"Thanks a lot, Jake." I said mostly to myself, knowing Jacob couldn't hear.

After the door shut, the Cullens' seemed to return to their form of normal, whatever that may be. "This is important, Bella. Do you remember anything that happened last night?" Edward asked.

I remembered a few select things that happened last night, Jake and Ryan fighting, Ian hitting on me while Chrissy was drunk, me punching Rachel for some comment she made, and conning the guys so they would give up the bottle of tequila they were hogging. I knew what they wanted me to remember, but that just wasn't going to happen. "I don't remember being with anyone." I muttered.

Carlisle left the room after I answered the question. A few minutes later, a nurse came in and handed him a few tests. Everyone besides Carlisle and I stopped breathing as he took the IV and attached a vacutaner that began to draw my blood. "This is to check for STD's." He told me as he placed the blood-filled tube into a canister.

"I _have_ had this done before. I know why you are taking tests." I rolled my eyes at him. "Couldn't you smell something off in my blood anyway?"

"Yes, but we need to go through the pretenses." He told me as he placed the small vacutaner of blood in a small plastic bag, and closed it. "For the possibility of being pregnant, you would need to wait a week or so to really see if you are. Pregnancy tests are based on the hormone level in your body and that can give you a false positive, also. For a woman to be pregnant, her body goes through changes before a human could even sense it. If I am wrong, we always have Alice to check again. I can tell you from all my experience, you are _not_ pregnant."

"You could have just said that I wasn't."

"I know." I could see a hint of his smile before he turned to deliver the tests to the nurse station at the end of the hall.

"That's a relief." I laughed, as I sat up on the bed. "Can I go home now?" I asked no one imparticular.

"You need rest, supervised rest to make sure there is nothing wrong. Unless you want Edward to go over to your house to keep watch over you, then you need to stay." Carlisle answered as he came back in the room.

I weighed my options for about five minutes, most of my logic wrapped around the fact that we would have to face each other sometime soon, and it might as well be while I am on some medication for pain. "I'll go home." I mumbled.

Everyone looked shocked at my answer, but there faces were quickly composed as Jacob and Charlie walked through the door.

Carlisle led Charlie to the hall to talk about what I guess is my decision.

**I've been working on this story for a little over a year. I have most of it mapped out and written. Tell me what you think :D**


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